DBS Checks.

Keeping everyone in basketball safe is really important to us, so this section aims to outline who requires a DBS check and the process behind this. We know these checks and paperwork can sometimes be time consuming, but they are so important to make sure everyone within basketball is safe, including the players, officials and coaches. Depending on your role, there are different safeguarding checks we need to do to make sure we are making the playing environment as safe as we can.

We also have a DBS FAQ's page that may have more answers to your questions!

Do I need a DBS check?

If you are a licensed coach with us and in regulated activity you need to hold a current, clear, enhanced DBS which has been carried out within the last three years.

If you hold a DBS from another organisation that meets the criteria above, we can accept this along with a completed Self Declaration form. Please submit a copy of your DBS along with the Self Declaration form to us here.

For more clarification, take a look at our simple DBS flow chart to decide if you need a DBS.

Do I need a self-declaration?

If you are a qualified referee or official, you need to submit a self-declaration form for 2017/2018 season. If you are a coach who holds a current DBS with another organisation, we will need to see evidence of this, and you will need to complete a self-declaration form too and send to us.

Part 1 & 2 of the self declaration needs to be filled out by the official/coach/volunteer with part 2 being signed by them. Part 1 needs to be signed by someone who can confirm their identity and check the documents identified.

This process is all a part of our due diligence as an organisation, making sure that we have the right people within the sport.

What is regulated activity?

Regulated activity – bit of a mine field right? Below is a breakdown of what it means and hopefully it will help you to decide which safeguarding check you need to do.

Regulated activity is for anyone who has a role:

Coaching, teaching, training, caring, supervising, advising, treating or transporting young people under the age of 18.

OR

Working in a limited number of specified places such as schools, children's homes & childcare premises

As well as taking one of the above roles, you also need to be doing this with the following frequency:

- Once a week or more- More than 3 occasions in a period of 30 days- Overnight between 2am-6am

As well as all of the above you must be doing this unsupervised for the activity to be classed as regulated.

What counts as supervised?

When thinking about whether someone is supervised in their role, think about what the answers to these questions are.

YES -> the person is supervised in their role by someone who holds a DBS and so they may not need a DBS check and a self-declaration will be enough.

NO -> this means you are unsupervised in an element of your work with young people and so therefore you will need a DBS check

Is your supervision carried out by someone who is in regulated activity?

Is the supervision regular and day to day?

Is the supervision reasonable in all the circumstances for the purpose of protecting children?

Factors to be considered to help decide if the supervision is reasonable may include the ages and number of children involved as well as how vulnerable are the children?

Below is a table of which roles require a DBS check and which need a self-declaration form. It is assumed all of the roles below are in regulated activity (for explanation see above).

(If you fill out a self-declaration form and highlight yes to any of the questions that highlight convictions, no matter what your role in basketball is, you will be required to undergo a fully enhanced DBS check before you can register with Basketball England).

What documents do I need to provide?

A full list of the documents you will need to provide for your DBS check can be found by clicking here.

So I’ve been through the criteria and I need a DBS – where do I start?

The best and quickest place to start is with your Club's Welfare officer and verifier, they should be able to send you an activation email to start the ball rolling on getting a DBS sort. If you are unsure who your Club Welfare Officer is, you should contact your Club Secretary. If your club doesn't have a Club Welfare Officer then find out more information on how to on the Welfare Officers section of our website.

Failing that, contact the safeguarding team requesting an activation email and they will be able to assist.

Basketball England currently uses GB Group Online Disclosures (GBG) to process our DBS Checks. DBS' through GBG can take up to 60 days but this varies due to the police force who provide the background checks but online applications generally get processed more quickly and any mistakes can be sorted out as quickly as possible. For using their service, they charge a small admin fee of around £12.60 for volunteers applications but if you are working full time and earning a wage in basketball, the admin fee increases to around £44.

N.B. Basketball England only uses this system to manage DBS checks, it cannot influence any checks or speed up the process.

Barred list

If you are taking part in regulated activity (for a definition look earlier on in this page) you will need to have a barred list check. There are two barred lists, one for children and one for adults. The DBS may decide to bar an individual from working or volunteering with children, adults at risk or both of these. If a person is put on either of these lists, it’s very important they do not enter into regulated activity.

Below are a few pointers you should be aware of in relation to the barred list. If you are unsure of anything or require more information, then please contact us and we will be able to advise you of any action to be taken.

A person who is barred from working with children or vulnerable adults will be breaking the law if they work or volunteer, or try to work or volunteer with those groups.

An organisation which knowingly allows someone who is barred to work with children or vulnerable adults will be breaking the law.

If you dismiss or remove someone from their role because they have harmed a child or vulnerable adult, or you would have done so if they had not left, you must inform Basketball England and complete the legally required referral to the DBS.

If a DBS application returns with a note to 'See Paper Disclosure', Basketball England will contact the person and ask them to send their DBS to us in the post so we can undertake a risk assessment. We are required to do this by law to ensure that we are correctly vetting all coaches/officials/volunteers who wish to work with under 18's.

A request for a DBS does not automatically mean you are prohibited to work with Under 18's, but if you don't comply and send in your DBS when requested, we will look to suspend you until you do.

DBS Filtering

Following a judgment from the Court of Appeal, the DBS will now be removing certain specified old and minor cautions and offences from DBS checks in a process known as filtering.

If a person has more than one conviction or caution, then all details will always be included. Filtering will also not remove information relating to sexual, violent or safeguarding offences.

This also means self-disclosure and application forms which previously asked for details of all prior convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, must be amended to only ask about offences which are 'unspent'.

How do I become a Club Verifier for DBS checks?

If you are aClub Welfare Officerat your club with a clear enhanced DBS check done in the past 3 years then, yes, you can become a Basketball England verifier.

The Basketball England verifier within the club will be able to send out activation links to club member who require a new DBS check and see/manage their clubs DBS checks online. A detailed outline of the verification process can be found here and how to set up new DBS'.

To do so, please contact thesafeguarding team with the subject title ‘New Basketball England Verifier’, your full name, an email address, which club you are with and we will be able to provide more information.

Our FAQs page provides answers to questions that you may have as a Basketball England Verifier.

Please note: With becoming a Basketball England verifier, the email assigned to your verifier's account will be advertised on the GBG Online Disclosures website whereby Basketball England DBS applicants will be able to see it at the end of the application process.